I simply cannot believe January is over already. January is my birthday month, so I’m always a little sad to see it go. They say that time passes more quickly as you get older. If that’s the case, I dread to see how fast it goes later in life! Nonetheless, I’ll stop complaining and welcome February with open arms. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to make the most of this month!

When 2014 rolled around, I tried really hard to pick “one little word” to live by this year. One of my favorite bloggers has been choosing a word for a couple of years now, and I thought it would be a fun exercise. I made a list of options but I just couldn’t commit to one. I’ve learned over the years that asking me to commit to something firmly for a long period of time is just not good idea. I can’t do it. My husband is probably quite nervous about that, but he hides it well. Actually, when we were shopping for wedding rings, I asked him if we could buy another one later if I decided I didn’t like the one we bought anymore. I had such anxiety about committing to one ring that I’d wear every day for the rest of my life. For the record, I absolutely love the ring he bought me and I can’t imagine ever wearing a different one. Funny how that happens, huh?

As I was reading this post the other day, I had the idea to have “one little word” each month. This way, I wouldn’t have to commit to one word for the whole year, and I could tailor each month’s word to fit my goals or needs for that month. With February upon us, I thought this would be the perfect time to start.

For February, my one little word will be DETERMINED.

I am determined to be productive this month. I plan to push ferociously harder towards my goals this month. I plan to use these 28 short days to make serious headway in my plans, so as to set myself up for success this year.

I am determined to let myself breathe this month. I plan to end each day feeling accomplished and proud of my work. I plan to remind myself to relax every evening and to only say nice things to myself. It’s time to cut myself a little slack.

I am determined to block out the negative this month. All too often, I let the negative actions and attitudes of others bring me down. This month, I plan to tune out any and all things that threaten my positivity. There’s no room for negativity in this beautiful life, and I’m putting my foot down this month.

As I prepare for the month of February, I’m excited about being serious about this journey. I’m excited about setting goals for myself both personally and professionally. I’m excited about taking control of my life and steering it in the direction I want it to go. I am also excited that you’ll want to follow along with my journey. 

Photo courtesy of Matthew Petrus.